Eclipse-chasers Flock to Western Siberia

Thousands of eclipse-watchers from all over the world were today gathering in Russia's Siberian city of Novosibirsk ahead of a rare total eclipse of the sun tomorrow.

The eclipse - which happens when the moon passes in front of the sun - begins in northern Canada at 10.45 BST. It will then sweep across Greenland, western Siberia and Mongolia. It will reach northern China more than an hour and a half later - and then disappear.

Some 15,000 amateur eclipse hunters and professional astronomers have descended on Novosibirsk - Russia's third largest city, local officials said. The city in western Siberia lies directly under the eclipse's path and is the best place to view tomorrow's phenomenon.

In theory, Novosibirsk will be blanketed in darkness for two minutes and 20 seconds - at 5.45pm local time (11.45 BST). Today, however, officials admitted that there was a strong possibility it would rain.

"If it does rain it will be dark like at night," Sergei Neshumov, the spokesman for Novosibirsk's mayor told the Guardian. He added: "Despite the forecast the mood is good. People are excited. After all, our last solar eclipse happened 300 years ago."

"Eclipse-chasers" from across Russia, Britain, and other countries in Europe and the US have flown in for the occasion, he said. The city has organized 16 special viewing areas, equipped with telescopes. Hotels - which are fully booked - are doling out eclipse glasses, he added.

The eclipse will be partially visible from other parts of Europe and Asia, and the eastern part of North America, with a 58% eclipse predicted for Moscow. The forecast for northern China is sunshine.

The eclipse is unlikely to compete with its 1999 predecessor across Europe, believed to be the most viewed one in history. The next eclipse is due in July 2009, mostly across South Asia.

Eclipses have long intrigued astronomers, in part because they allow direct observation of the sun's corona. Chasing eclipses has grown in popularity in recent years, with Novosibirsk attracting a camp full of young Germans.

Video of the eclipse will be carried live on a number of websites, including one in Novosibirsk. Nasa will carry a live broadcast of the event from the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in north-western China.